Donostia

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For the Philippine municipality named San Sebastian, see San Sebastian, Samar.

See also San Sebastián, Venezuela.

Image:Donostia (San Sebastian), Spain location.png Image:San Sebastian.jpg Image:San Sebastián1.jpg Donostia (in Basque) or San Sebastián (in Spanish) is the capital city of the province of Guipuzcoa, in the Spanish autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its population is 178,017 (2001 estimate).

The city is located in the northeast of Spain, on the Bay of Biscay, close to the French border. San Sebastian's picturesque coastline makes it a popular beach resort.

1 History
2 Recreation
3 Culture
4 External links

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History

c. 1174--Donostia is awarded status as fuero by King Sancho VI of Navarre.

1200--The city is conquered by Castille, whose king Alphonse VIII, confirms its fuero.

1728--The foundation of the "Real Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas" boosts commerce with the Americas.

1808--Napoleonic forces capture San Sebastian.

1813--British and Portuguese troops besiege San Sebastian and eventually defeat French occupying troops. After being welcomed by the inhabitants, the relieving troops burnt down the city.

1813--The city is rebuilt in the same spot.

1863--City walls demolished; expansion of city begins.

1937--Province falls to fascist forces in Civil War.

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Recreation

San Sebastián/Donostia is the home city of the Primera División football club Real Sociedad.

The Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica have made a song entitled San Sebastian.

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Culture

Image:San Sebastián Tamborrada.jpg Every year on 20 January (the feast of Saint Sebastian) the people of San Sebastián celebrate a festival known as the "Tamborrada". At midnight in the Konstituzioa plaza in the "Alde Zaharra/Parte Vieja" (old city), the mayor raises the flag of San Sebastián, during 24 hours the entire city is awash with the sound of drums. The adults dress as cooks and soldiers, and march around the city. They march all night with their cook hats and white aprons with the March of San Sebastián. Adults usually have dinner in "Sociedades" which traditionally were only admitted for males. Nowadays even in the strictest ones allow women on the "Noche de la Tamborrada". They eat very sophisticated meals cooked by themselves, mostly composed of seafood (traditionally elver, now no longer served due to its exhorbitant price) and drink the best wines. For "Donostiarras" this is the most celebrated festival of the year. After hearing drums all night children wake up with a version of the Tamborrada for kids. Children dress traditionally as soldiers and march around the city. Children from all the schools of San Sebastián march that day. They have their specific costumes which usually represent a particular country (England, Germany, Romania, etc.)

A festival called Semana Grande or Aste Nagusia is held every year in August. There is a fireworks competition in which every night, there is a fireworks presentation over the bay, and at the end, a winner is declared.

San Sebastián is known for its Basque cuisine and pintxos (tapas) and restaurant district near the port.

The most important Spanish International Film Festival is held in San Sebastián, the Donostia-San Sebastian International Film Festival

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